Page 134 of It Must Be Fate

I’m running out of time, so I pull out my final trump card.

If this doesn’t work, nothing will.

And then I’ll have to live with this stranger in my house.

“Do you really want this boy who beats up homeless people for fun to be around Astra?” I growl. “He’ll be her stepbrother.”

She stiffens and slides an angry look at me from between narrowed eyes. I know she’s about to make me pay for that low blow.

“He reminds me a lot of you twenty-four years ago, Nix. Furious at the world, being eaten up from the inside out by your bitterness and resentment. I think we have a loving home to offer and if we don’t open it up to someone so clearly in need, then we’re failing each other. Astra will understand that.” She turns back around to look at the still seething teenager. “And stop referring to him as “the boy” just to keep your distance from him. He has a name. Use it.”

I grumble unhappily, annoyed at the situation, annoyed at the fact that Six is clearly upset with me.

That’s not a position I’m used to being in.

And to get out of it, I know I’m just going to give her what she wants.

“Ares is mine, Nix. I know he is.”

“Careful with the ‘mine’ shit, Six,” I fume. “I’m not above killing an eighteen-year-old if I feel you getting too comfortable.”

Six looks up at me. The harsh lighting does nothing to take away from her beauty. Her eyes shine softly as they look up at me with affection now, her anger never one to linger for too long.

“He’s my son, I mean. I was meant to come into his life. That’s why I think I waited so long — I was waiting for him. Astra will get used to it. She’ll understand that we have to help him.”

She blinks up at me, her hand finding my chest.

“Put those eyes away, wild girl,” I groan. “You don’t need to bring out the heavy artillery to convince me. If you want this, you’ll have it.”

A beaming smile breaks out across her face.

“Really?”

“Really. He can come home with us.”

She claps her hands happily, and suddenly a memory of her flashes through my mind so powerfully that it takes my breath away. Her, eighteen years old, hair blowing in the wind, freckles dancing across her cheeks, clapping just as happily as she is now because I agreed to go sledding down Blind Hill with her.

Making her happy makes me happy.

It always has.

I rap my knuckles on the glass to get the cops’ attention. They stand and the boy, Ares, scowls at the one-way window.

As the cops exit the room to come meet us, I say to Six, “Tell them we’re taking him home with us. I’ll make the charges go away. But I’m telling you wild girl, one wrong move and he’s gone. I won’t have him endanger you or Astra. Do we have an agreement?”

She hesitates, biting her lip. “Three.”

“What?”

“Three strike policy. Come on, Nix, you can’t expect him to adapt so quickly. He’s been abandoned by his parents. He’s angry. He’s bound to lash out. One mistake isn’t fair, it’s setting him up to fail.”

“Not my problem. One.”

She crosses her arms, her lower lip jutting out stubbornly.

“Three.”

I sigh. “Fine. Two, and I’m being generous here.”

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